Writer: Nurliana Kamaruddin

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Watch this if you liked: Yasmin Ahmad movies

It's always hard to aptly place Yasmin Ahmad's movies into a specific genre but it's no lie to say that hers are all little slices of life's pie where you can sit down and get a whiff of its delicious scent before taking a bite into something fulfilling. It was her vision to capture the essence of humanity in her films and the images in "Talentime" simply reverberate that sentiment. I would not go so far as to say they reflect a reality that we all know and recognise but Yasmin Ahmad's films have always been a sentimental look into human emotion; matters of the heart and most importantly - the concept of love.

"Talentime" does not disappoint in that sense.

The characters of 'Talentime' are the kind of characters that you would not disassociate from real life people in Malaysia, a rich blending of all that makes our country unique. What makes this film work so well is that not once does it feel as though it is rubbing an idea into your face. Yasmin's handling of racial and religious issues is seen by some as controversial but this writer views it as a most refreshing and sensitive take on the subject. She makes no conclusions of her own in the film, merely letting the presence of the subject linger within the story but allowing the audience to come to their own decision.

Newcomers Pamela Chong and Mahesh Jugal Kishore are an adorable pair, just as Sharifah Amani and Ng Choo Seong had been in "Sepet". Yasmin Ahmad's talent of bringing out the best in her actors as well as their own personal charm is captured by the camera and you will believe those moments when the two of them stare silently into each other's eyes; expressing their love without words. The absence of voice in Mahesh's character does nothing to diminish the young man's intensity. Couple that with Pamela's energetic projection and their chemistry is most surely combustible!

The character of Hafiz played by Syafie Naswip has the best screen time in this writer's opinion and Syafie Naswip is an absolute winner. This young actor is certainly going to become a force to be reckoned with in the Malaysian entertainment scene.

All said and done, the film isn't without flaws. Disjointed and choppy at parts, the story does not flow as smoothly as Yasmin's previous films. In fact there were plenty of moments where the film sort of diverges into its own little pockets of reality which perhaps are too far removed from what we can relate to. A few surreal scenes litter the movie and parts of the comedic elements feel forced. One supposes it helps that her main cast was most pleasing to the eyes and it doesn't take much to forgive the draggy bits of this film.

By the time end credits roll, you might also be thinking "buy the OST when it comes out because the music in this film was wicked awesome!"

Cinema Online, 01 January 1900